Kiowa County Conservation District is conducting a sign-up

May 1 through May 29, 2015, to accept requests for state fi-

nancial assistance to install enduring conservation practices.

The conservation district administers state cost-share pro-

grams locally to improve water quality and reduce soil erosion.

Funding is provided by the Division of Conservation (DOC),

Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) through appropria-

tions from the Kansas Water Plan Fund.

Landowners with natural resource concerns on their property

are encouraged to visit the Kiowa County Conservation District

to discuss the possibility of receiving state financial assis-

tance. Funding is provided through cost-share payments to

landowners for eligible practices as listed below. The sign-up

does not guarantee approval of cost-share financial assis-

tance. Projects started or completed prior to being approved

for funding are not eligible for these funds.

Following the sign-up deadline each request is carefully re-

viewed to ensure eligibility. The proposed project is ranked

according to a system developed by Kiowa County Conserva-

tion District. The ranking system ensures fairness to landown-

ers and ensures cost-share funds are used to meet local con-

servation priorities. Landowners approved for the program are

notified of the practice(s) approved and the estimated

amount of cost-share that will be provided. Before the

work can begin the contract is approved by the DOC

and must be signed by the landowner(s).

The conservation district works closely with the USDA

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to pro-

tect & conserve natural resources, primarily soil & wa-

ter. Conservation practices funded with state cost-

share funds must be installed & maintained according

to NRCS & DOC specifications. It is necessary that

landowners work closely with NRCS in the planning

stage to ensure practices are applied correctly. Tech-

nical assistance for these practices is provided free of

charge by the USDA.

For more information concerning state cost-share pro-

grams and other available services, please contact:

Kiowa County Conservation District/NRCS office

USDA Service Center

122 East Illinois

Greensburg, Kansas.

Ph: 620-723-2146.

KIOWA

Conservation District Newsletter

County Spring 2015

Water Resources Cost-Share Sign-Up through May 29, 2015

Eligible Practices for State Cost-Share Funds in Kiowa County

► Brush Control Management ► Pipeline

► Critical Area Planting ► Pond

► Diversion ► Prescribed Grazing

► Dry Hydrant ► Pumping Plant for Water Supply

► Fencing ► Range Planting

► Field Windbreak, Tree Planting ► Residue Management NoTill/Strip Till

► Grassed Waterway ► Spring Development

► Irrigation System—Trickle ► Terraces

► Mulching ► Watering Facility

► Pasture & Hayland Planting ► Water Well

► Wetland Development or Restoration

2015 Ladies Luncheon

Each year the Kiowa County Conservation District, Kiowa County Farm Bureau, and Kiowa County Exten-sion sponsor a Ladies Luncheon for the ladies of Kio-wa County. This year’s speaker was Chef Alli, a self-proclaimed “Kitchen Crusader” who specializes in farm fresh cooking. Her cooking segment “Chef Alli’s Farm Fresh Kitchen” airs weekly on WIBW—13 News. She states” The way I see it, my mission as a self-proclaimed Kitchen Crusader is to make certain you get stirred up about cooking, food, and family farms. She is constantly seeking opportunities to connect with home cooks everywhere for three reasons. She said her first goal is to make experiences in the kitchen positive, despite the hard work. That’s why she loves to help cooks navigate the kitchen, sharing techniques, tips and recipes that will stream-line din-ner time. She states cooking should be tasty, worth-while and rewarding. She wants your efforts to pay off. Her second goal is to teach where food comes from and who grows it. As a mom, she states it means a lot to feel confident in preparing nutritious meals for our families. She appreciates the wholesome ingredients available to us from our hard-working Kansas farmers and ranchers and their families.

Her third goal is to draw people and families together through food. It’s a universal language of love and also the rea-son our kitchens will always be the heart of our homes. She’s passionate about cooking And family farms, and about feeding the hungry people she loves. Chef Alli and her husband, Pat, along with their three sons, live in rural NE Kansas where they raise cattle and enjoy country living. Chef Allis available for speaking en-gagements and ambassador partnerships that align with her mission and her brand. If you’re local to the Heartland, feel free to give Chef Alli a ring to meet for coffee – she would love to connect with you.

NPS Cost-Share Funds

The Non-Point Source Pollution Control Program (NPSPCP) is a comprehensive voluntary program that provides technical and financial assistance for restoring and protecting surface and groundwater quality through the installation of pollution control measures/structures and through information and educational assistance. The Kiowa County Conservation District receives cost-share funds through the Non-Point Source Pollution Control Fund for the practices listed at the right. All applications will be ranked and prioritized and the highest priority applications will be funded first. The District will be accepting applications for these eligible cost-share practices May 1 through May 29, 2015. The program will reimburse the landowner 70% of the coun-ty average, not to exceed $5,000. Again, a project can-not be started until the landowner has received ap-proval from the District and the Kansas Department of Agriculture Division of Conservation.

Eligible Cost-Share Practices

► Well Decommissioning

► On-Site Wastewater Systems

► Critical Area Planting

► Windbreaks

► Fencing

► Irrigation System, Trickle

► Brush Control

► Pipeline

► Prescribed Grazing

► Pumping Plant for Water Supply

► Residue Management No Till/Strip Till

► Watering Facility

► Water Well

► Wetland Restoration

Funding for the Non-Point Source Pollution Control

Program is provided by the Kansas Department of

Agriculture, Division of Conservation from the Kansas

Water Plan Fund.

New Leopold Conservation Award Program Seeks Kansas Nominees

Sand County Foundation, in partnership with the Kansas Association of Conservation Districts and the Ranchland Trust of Kansas, proudly announces the launch of the Leo-pold Conservation Award Program in Kansas, and is accept-ing applications for the award. The award given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, recognizes and celebrates extraordinary achieve-ment in voluntary conservation on agricultural lands. In 2015 the $10,000 award will be presented for the first time to a Kansas farmer, rancher or other private landowner who exemplifies voluntary, responsible stewardship and management of natural resources. “KACD is pleased to participate in bringing the Leopold Con-servation Award Program to Kansas because it provides a valuable opportunity to recognize the outstanding accom-plishments of our agricultural landowners committed to strong conservation practices and effective stewardship,” said Jim Krueger, Executive Director of the Kansas Associa-tion of Conservation Districts. The award program provides a visible forum where farmers, ranchers, and other private landowners are recognized as leaders committed to a land ethic. In his influential 1949 book, A Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold emphasized the need for an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage, calling it “an evolutionary possi-bility and ecological necessity.” “RTK is proud to be a partner in the first Leopold Conserva-tion Award in Kansas,” said Bill Eastman, Chair of the Board at Ranchland Trust of Kansas. “This is a great state and this award is a natural extension of the conservation ethic that for generations has guided our agricultural community. We extend our thanks and gratitude to Sand County Foun-dation for their national leadership in conservation efforts and for allowing us to be a part of this inaugural event.” The Leopold Conservation Award Program in Kansas is made possible thanks to the generous support of Clean Line Energy Partners, Ducks Unlimited, International Transmis-sion Company, NextEra Energy Resources, Westar Energy, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, DuPont Pioneer. The Mosaic Company and The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. The award will be presented on November 23, 2015 at the KACD Annual Convention in Wichita. Applications for the award must be postmarked by May 29, 2015 and mailed to KACD c/o Jim Krueger, 1008 2500 Ave-nue, Abilene KS 67410. Nominate yourself or another Kansas landowner. Award

criteria are used by an independent panel of agricultural and conservation professionals in each state to evaluate each application for the Leopold Conservation Award. For application information, please visit www.leopoldconservationaward.Nominate yourself or

another landowner. Award criteria are used by an independent

panel of agricultural and conservation professionals in each

state to evaluate each application for the Leopold Conserva-

tion Award.

If you are interested in applying for this award, please provide the following information: Nominee: Name, address, phone, email, website, type of agricultural operation Nominator (if different): Name, address, phone, email Each response must be clearly numbered and limited to 1,000 words. Nominations must be typed on 81/2 X 11 inch paper. Please paper clip/binder clip (do not staple) your document, for copying purposes. If you wish, in-clude supporting materials (news clippings, photos, maps, etc.) Do not send DVDs or videos. Please indi-cate if you would like the materials returned. Where applicable, indicate the local, state and federal agencies and partner organizations involved with the nominee’s conservation practices. 1. Conservation Ethic—Describe how the nominee has

voluntarily exceeded the minimum obligations of regulation and general agricultural practices to en-hance and conserve natural resources.

2. Ecological Community—Describe how the nomi-nee’s agricultural operation works with natural sys-tems (soil, water, plants & wildlife, etc.). Describe how this benefits others.

3. Innovation & Adaptability—Describe how the nomi-nee has overcome business or conservation obsta-cles by utilizing or experimenting with new tech-niques to adapt to changing demands and threats (consumers, markets, weather, regulations, etc.)

4. Resilience—Describe the business and conserva-tion methods used by the nominee to maintain healthy land and ensure the operation remains pro-ductive into the future.

5. Leadership and Communication—Describe signifi-cant efforts the nominee has made to share his/her conservation ethics and techniques with others in-side and out of agriculture. Describe community service, positions held, leadership roles and media outreach.

6. Additional information. Describe any other relevant accomplishments and/or challenge.

7. Attach three letters of recommendation. At least one should be from a natural resources conserva-tion organization or agency.

Highly Erodible Land (HEL) & Wetland Determinations by Ray Colclazier, NRCS Technician, Kinsley, KS

Highly Erodible Land (HEL) & Wetland determinations were completed on all cropland enrolled in United States Depart-ment of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Farm Program back in the mid-to-late 1980’s, but of course things change in 25-30 years. There are occasions, for whatever reason, that you may want to break out a piece of grass and start cropping that piece of land to raise an agricultural commodity. Maybe there is a grove of trees that you are not receiving any in-come off of that you want to doze out and start cropping. Possibly, you have a waterhole on a piece of cropland that always drowns the crop out on wet years that you would like to drain so that it is more productive. Maybe you have an old farmstead that you want to clean up and start farming that acreage as well. Whatever your situation may be, if you are making any area that currently is not cropped and con-verting it to raise an agricultural commodity, you just need to make a quick trip to the USDA Service Center and request a HEL and/or Wetland Determination. When a producer signs up for USDA loans or other program benefits with the Farm Service Agency (FSA), an AD-1026 is signed which indicates that the producer agrees: 1. Not to plant or produce an agricultural commodity

on highly erodible land or fields unless being farmed in accordance with a conservation plan or system ap-proved by the NRCS.

2. Not to plant or produce an agricultural commodity

on a wetland that was converted after December 23, 1985.

3. Not to have converted a wetland after November 28,

1990, for the purpose, or to have the effect, of making the production of an agricultural commodity possible on such converted wetland.

4. Not to convert a wetland by draining, dredging, fill-

ing, leveling, removing woody vegetation, or any other activity that results in impairing or reducing the flow and circulation of water in a way that would allow the plant-ing of an agriculture commodity.

5. Not to use proceeds from any FSA farm loan, in-

sured or guaranteed, or any USDA financial assistance program, in such a way that might result in negative impacts to a wetland, except for those projects evaluated and ap proved by NRCS. Producers who are not in compliance with Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and Wetland Conservation (WC) provisions are not eligible to receive benefits for most pro-grams administered by FSA and NRCS. If a producer re-ceived program benefits and is later found to be non-

compliant, the producer may be required to refund all benefits received and/or may be assessed a penalty. Producers obtaining federally reinsured crop insurance will not be eligible for any premium subsidy paid by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) for any policy or plan of insurance if the producer: Has not filed a completed Form AD-1026 with FSA cer-tifying compliance with HELC and WC provisions; or Is not in compliance with HELC and WC provisions. The point is that nobody wants to lose their eligibility to receive Government Farm Program benefits, and we at the USDA Service Center do not want that. By follow-ing the rules which apply to all, you will not lose your eligibility. A quick trip to the USDA Service Center prior to sodbusting, tree dozing, etc. and/or wet area manip-ulation for the purpose of raising an agricultural com-modity is all that is required to keep you in compliance.

If you would like to receive your quarterly Kiowa

County Conservation District newsletter by e-mail ra-

ther than conventional mail, please let us know. We

will be more than happy to add you to our e-mail list. E

-mail is a great way to conserve...Paper, postage, gas,

etc.

Just drop us an e-mail at:

donna.greenleaf@ks.nacdnet.net

Holiday Closings

May 25 — Memorial Day Observed July 3 — Independence Day Observed September 7— Labor Day Observed

E-MAIL

It might sound like a crazy idea but prescribed burn-ing during the summer months just might work. Ac-cording to research, burning during the summer months is just as, if not more effective than the tradi-tional spring time burns. This spring has been a tough time to carry out a burn because of all the high winds and erratic wind shifts. If you missed out on your burn due to weather conditions you may want to consider a summer burn. Most ranchers understand that traditionally pre-scribed burning is done in the spring. Summer time burning was not considered because it did not seem to benefit the grass. They were taught that a sum-mer burn would kill the grass, it could become a rag-ing inferno or it would not achieve the desired objec-tives. Not true, historically, the Great Plains burnt anytime of the year! The Great Plains was and is a grassland ecosystem because of fire. It burnt when the conditions were right, fuel was present and an ignition source was applied. You can burn any month of the year, in fact, July and August are actu-ally some of the better months to burn. The burning conditions are more conducive and there are more favorable days to potentially apply and complete a burn. Weather patterns and conditions tend to be more stable during these months. There are safety issues to consider as well with sum-mer burns. Burning during the growing season is often easier and safer than spring burns. The flame length of the fire is decreased and the rate of spread is reduced. Summer fires are not necessarily hotter than spring burns but produce a much longer dura-tion of heat. The longer period of high temperature helps to control unwanted species that are suscepti-ble to fire. Most land management goals and objec-tives can be achieved with summer burns. Fire is an important element of the Great Plains grassland environment that was significantly stifled after European settlement. Prescribed burns safely mimic the natural fire cycle and maintain a fire-resistant landscape. It is important that modern day ranches reintroduce fire into the ecosystem in a safe and economical way where ever feasible. Fire is Mother Nature's way of maintaining a healthy eco-

system on the Great Plains. Native plant com-munities evolved with fires occur-ring during any season of the year and these burns did not dam-age or kill most native plants. Learning how to use fire during various seasons of the year can increase a land manager's options and their ability to achieve their goals and objectives. If you are interested in learning more about pre-scribed fire, burn associations, or getting assistance in developing a prescribed burn plan, contact your local Conservation District or Natural Resources Conservation Service office at 620-723-2311, or the Kansas Prescribed Fire Council at 785-532-3316.

Summer Burning by Jess Crockford, Kansas Prescribe Fire Council

Non-Discrimination Statement The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.). If you wish to file an employment complaint, you must complaint, you must contact your agency’s EEO Counselor (phone 301-504-2181 or fax 301-504-2175) within 45 days of the date of the alleged discriminatory act, event, or in the case of a personnel action. Additional information can be found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_file.html. If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (PDF), found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities and you wish to file either an EEO or program complaint please contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339 or (800) 845-6136 (in Spanish). Persons with disabilities who wish to file a program complaint, please see information above on how to contact us by mail directly or by email. If you require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) please contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider , employer and lender.

Prescribed burns are planned fires designed to im-prove rangeland health and help rid the prairie of in-vasive trees and shrubs. A friend of mine and fellow prescribed burner likes to predict the weather on a day of a planned burn by stating that there is one hundred percent chance of fire. And if the burn boss decides conditions are within the prescription for the fire, then ignition ensues. Prescribed burns are well-planned and executed. A “breakout” or “escape” from a prescribed burn is not only rare, it is exactly why there is so much effort put into the planning and coordination in order to prevent such events. In the Red Hills, fire was a natural phenomenon as in about all the prairie landscapes. Fire kept Eastern Red Ce-dar confined to canyons and valleys. Only with the appearance of white men did natural fire become suppressed to the extent that cedars began to invade uplands. For every cedar occurring in the uplands of the Red Hills, less forage is available for livestock and less water is available to support base flows in the vital streams and rivers of the land. Red Hills ranchers should not feel helpless or intimidated by this menace. Several agencies and organizations are helping with technical services, equipment and money to help facilitate more prescribed burning in not only the Red Hills but in many other parts of Kan-sas. Entities contributing include The Nature Con-servancy, the NRCS, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser-vice, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, the Kansas Fire Council, the Kansas Grazing Lands Coalition and local burn groups. The most im-portant assistance is from ranchers themselves. In a neighbor-helping-neighbor philosophy, ranchers form groups that assist each other in conducting prescribed burns. In the Red Hills, there are two organized prescribed burn associations (PBAs)—the Gyp Hills PBA and the Cherokee Strip PBA. Mem-bers of these two groups

have sponsored or been involved in at least 13 pre-scribed burns so far this year totaling over 10,000 acres of safe and contained fires. In 2014, there were about the same number of prescribed burns but less than 4,000 acres involved. In a companion piece in this newsletter, Jess Crockford explains why summer prescribed burns may be more common in the future and may be another key weapon in the cedar war. We are still much at the beginning in the huge chal-lenge of returning the mixed grass prairie of the Red Hills back to the kind of range health needed for opti-mum cattle production as well as healthy wildlife pop-ulations. Hopefully, we can double the acres burned next year. There are many challenges. The “Green Glacier” keeps gulping up huge tracts of land. Also, there is a big educational need to convince out-of-state deer hunters that you don’t need cedar trees for trophy deer and populations. Be part of the war ef-fort and join the battle. To find out about the various programs available for range health and prescribed burning, contact your nearest NRCS office. You can find out about the various burn associations as well as what services, equipment and cost share assis-tance is available. Be part of the general effort in our war on cedars on the prairie.

100% Chance of Fire by Ken Brunson, Red Hills Project Coordinator, The Nature Conservancy in Kansas and NRCS Partner Employee

All NRCS assisted rangeland programs require a grazing exclusion cage be placed in individual fields on a dominant range site or a range site of concern. The cages are used as a management tool to monitor whether the grazing strategy is meeting the goals and objectives of your plan and improving or sustaining the grazing re-source. Cages need to be moved annually within the key grazing area(s) to determine the current year’s production and use. Therefore, this is just a re-minder that it is time to move your grazing cag-es. Please refer to the key grazing area(s) (Red “K”) located on the Grazing Plan Map for place-ment of the grazing exclusion cage(s). Mid-year and end-of-year evaluations will help adjust stocking rates on above and below average pre-cipitation years. Once again, grazing exclusion cages measure the degree of use of the key forage species dur-ing the grazing season. Exclusions separate herbage loss due to grazing pressure from loss

Important Monitoring Guidelines by Josh Adelhardt, DC

due to natural weathering and wildlife. The GOAL is to re-move no more than 50% by weight of the current year’s growth of the designated key forage species dur-ing the grow-ing season and no more than 65% by weight of the total current year’s growth during the dormant sea-son unless specific objectives slated above determine a different degree of use. Visual assessments such as grazing sticks and exclusion cages (both pictured be-low) are a quick and easy reference to determine graz-ing use and to see how much forage was produced and removed throughout the

Kansas Range Youth Camp June 29—July 2, 2015

If YOU are interested in plants, livestock, or wildlife, attend an educational event like no other in Kansas! Participants: Upcoming High School Sophomores, Jun-iors, and Seniors Location: Camp Mennoscah, Murdock, KS (in Kingman Co) Learn: Range Plant Identification, Plant Growth, Stock-ing Rate Determination, Livestock Nutrition, Rangeland Wildlife Management, and much more! Special Items: Field Trip (location to be determined), Steak and Potato Dinner Free Time Activities: Swimming, Canoeing, Fishing & Hiking Tuition: $250 per participant*

*Interested students should contact the:

Kiowa County Conservation District 122 East Illinois Ave.

Greensburg, Kansas 67054 620-723-2146 ext. 3

for possible financial assistance.

Educating Kansas Youth for over 50 years!

Poster Contest Winners

The Poster Contest Theme this year was “Local Heros—Your

Hardworking Pollinators” Jean Aycock, Kansas Wetlands Center, Great Bend, Kansas gave the pro-

gram and the following are the winners of the contest:

Kindergarten Addison Higbie

First Grade

Regan Greenleaf Jace Frazier

Sara Redecop

Second Grade Ethan Koger

Audrey Bunce Silas Hawkins

Third Grade

Landan Beaman Kaden Oren Marley Little

Fourth Grade Judy Redecop

Eizabeth Sneed Jessa Lee

Fifth Grade

Emma Thompson Addison Sherer

Charleigh Friesen

Sixth Grade Tina Banman

Kathryn Spainhour Allison Kirby

Seventh Grade Kellie Rhodes Talon Estes

Jenna Morford

Eight Grade Camden VandenHoek

Cambrey Ballard Karson Ross

The winners received ribbons for their ef-forts. The grand champion winners also received a money booklet from the District and they were Judy Redecop and Kelllie Rhodes. Tristan Sneed received Honorable

Mention at the State level. Congratulations to all of the winners.

“The world is all abuzz about pollinators! Pollinators play a critical role in our eve-ryday lives, and it’s important that we work to protect their habitat, says NACD President Lee McDaniel”. While many pollinators may seem like just annoying insects, they are actually a very important part of the web of life upon which we all depend. Pollinators form the underpinning of a healthy and sustainable future for food and the environment, but they have shown disturbing signs of decline in re-cent years. When pollinators shrink in number, many plants either produce less seed or no seed at all. The bottom line is, when pollinators start disappearing, plants start disappearing. Most plants depend upon pollinators to reproduce. While animals can travel and move around to find mates and reproduce, plants are rooted to one spot. Therefore, plants depend on pollinators to move pollen from their anthers to their stigma. On planet Earth there are more than 100,000 species of insects, including bees, flies, moths, butterflies and beetles that work hard as pollinators. There are also over 1,000 species of other animals such as birds, reptiles and mammals, including bats that pollinate plants. Your local con-servation district can assist you in maintaining or developing habitat for pollina-tors. Kiowa County Conservation District is a member of NACD which oversees the Stewardship Week program. Stewardship Week is one of the largest national an-nual programs to promote conservation. NACD represents the nation’s 3,000 conservation districts, which were established to encourage resource conser-vation across the country. For more information about Stewardship Week and conservation, contact Kiowa County Conservation District at 620-723-2146.

2015

Stewardship Week

April 26—May 3, 2015

HANDS ON—Summer Course for Teachers

Kansas Foundation for Ag in the Classroom

June 9-11, 2015

Kansas State University Campus—3 credit hours

The Manhattan Summer Institute will be held June 9-11,

2015 at the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center. This three-

day course will provide hands-on learning labs, activities,

industry professionals and agricultural tours for you to gain new ideas and

ways to incorporate agriculture into your current curriculum. Professional

development hours are available and are based on 24 hours of face-to-

face time. Graduate credits through Kansas State are available, but are at

the attendee's personal expense. Registration is $65 and will provide at-

tendees with standards-based resources and materials. Activities are

aligned with the Kansas Career and Workforce Readiness Standards. You

can either register online or print and fill out the form and submit via mail.

Registration deadline is May 26, 2015. For an application and more infor-

mation, visit

www.ksagclassroom.org

2015 Kiowa County Conservation District Awards Kiowa County Soil Conservation Award Winner—Cletis Clark Steve Kirk, Key Banker, Centera Bank, presented the 2015 Kansas Bankers Association Award for Soil Conserva-tion to the Cletis & Jeana Clark. The Clark’s farm with their son Denton, near Haviland. They grow corn, wheat, milo, and soybeans. Cletis has been working the land all of his life, working hand in hand with his father, Doyle, on their farming operation and is bringing his son Denton into the operation. Soil conservation is important on the Clark farm. Cletis has put in new terraces to keep water from running down and eroding some of his rolling fields. With larger equipment, Cletis is changing terrace types and locations so the larger equipment can be used, while main-taining the health of the soil, water in the field and valuable top soil out of the waterways. In doing so, they are pre-serving the soil for their son Denton, just like Cletis’s father did for him.

Kiowa County Grassland Conservation Winner— Dan Smith Harvesting sun & water is what rangeland does, if you respect it, it will treat you right. Dan Smith is a prime example of a rangeland steward. Dan has managed his property to maintain his grass and stocking rates. In the midst of the drought, Dan reduced his stocking rate and pulled cows off to maintain his native range. Dan has also added solar powered watering systems and large, shallow tanks that hold six days worth of water supply and switched from windmills to solar powered submersible pumps. Dan rotates his cattle through his pastures, keeping a watchful eye on hos grass growth and condition. Dan has taken care of the range and the range has taken care of Dan.

Kiowa County Water Conservation Award Winner—Elmer Davis

Elmer recently converted a flood irrigated field to sub-surface drip irrigation, also know as SDI. The eighty acre field had previously been flooded and watered on the surface where water could evaporate. Elmer and his farm operator, Randy Nusz, plowed in the tape 16” deep. The tape is on 60” centers. They plant the same direction that the tape runs, so there are two rows in between the strips of tape. Elmer says water is conserved as it is applied under the surface of the ground. SDI keeps the water from evaporating before it reaches the plant. The system is 95% efficient. They have used less water on their crops and in-creased yields on the field, as well as the fields staying cleaner with the new technology.

Kiowa County Energy Conservation Winners—Ki & Kim Gamble Heating & cooling shops & houses are expenses that all farmers en-counter. Ki & Kim Gamble have taken that challenge on head first. The Gambles have been stewards of the land & environment in all aspects of their operation. Ki & Kim have worked to maintain energy efficient appli-ances in their home, and insulated with closed cell foam. They have in-stalled radiant heat flooring, extra insulation, and high efficiency lighting in their shop. They also installed a water cooled condensing unit for their air-conditioning system. This unit uses ground water to cool the air moved by the fan throughout the house. The water comes in at 52 de-grees, picks up the heat of the air and is discharged to the windbreak north of their house. The discharge water flows at two gallons per mi-nute and efficiently waters the 200 ft. row of cedars that help keep the house increasing more efficient.

NEWS from FSA

USDA Reminds Farmers of 2014 Farm Bill Conservation Compliance Changes

2015 Acreage Reporting Dates

The 2014 Farm Bill implements a change that requires farmers to have a Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation Certification (AD-1026) on file. For farmers to be eligible for premium support on their fed-eral crop insurance, a completed and signed AD-1026 cer-tification form must be on file with the FSA. The Risk Man-agement Agency (RMA), through the Federal Crop Insur-ance Corporation (FCIC), manages the federal crop insur-ance program that provides the modern farm safety net for American farmers and ranchers. Since enactment of the 1985 Farm Bill, eligibility for most commodity, disaster, and conservation programs has been linked to compliance with the highly erodible land conser-vation and wetland conservation provisions. The 2014 Farm Bill continues the requirement that producers adhere to conservation compliance guidelines to be eligible for most programs administered by FSA and NRCS. This in-cludes most financial assistance such as the new price and revenue protection programs, the Conservation Re-serve Program, the Livestock Disaster Assistance pro-grams and Marketing Assistance Loans and most pro-grams implemented by FSA. It also includes the Environ-mental Quality Incentives Program, the Conservation Stewardship Program, and other conservation programs

implemented by NRCS. Many FSA and Natural Resource Conservation (NRCS) programs already have implemented this requirement and therefore most producers should already have an AD-1026 form on file for their asso-ciated lands. If an AD-1026 form has not been filed or is incomplete, then farmers are reminded of the deadline of June 1, 2015. When a farmer completes and submits the AD-1026 certification form, FSA and NRCS staff will review the associated farm records and outline any addi-tional actions that may be required to meet the re-quired compliance with the conservation compliance provisions. FSA recently released a revised form AD-1026, which is available at USDA Service Centers and online at: www.fsa.usda.gov . USDA will publish a rule later this year that will provide details outlining the connection of conservation compliance with crop insurance premium support. Producers can also contact their local USDA Service Center for infor-mation. A listing of service center locations is availa-ble at offices.usda.gov.

In order to comply with FSA program eligibility require-ments, all producers are encouraged to visit the Name County FSA office to file an accurate crop certification re-port by the applicable deadline. The following acreage reporting dates are applicable for Name County: July 15, 2015: Corn, Grain Sorghum, Soybeans, Feed, CRP, Fallow and other Spring Seeded Crops. The following exceptions apply to the above acreage re-porting dates: • If the crop has not been planted by the above acreage reporting date, then the acreage must be reported no later than 15 calendar days after planting is completed. • If a producer acquires additional acreage after the above

acreage reporting date, then the acreage must be reported no later than 30 calendars days after pur-chase or acquiring the lease. Appropriate documen-tation must be provided to the county office. • If a perennial forage crop is reported with the in-tended use of “cover only,” “green manure,” “left standing,” or “seed,” then the acreage must be re-ported by July 15th. Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) policy holders should note that the acreage reporting date for NAP covered crops is the earlier of the dates listed above or 15 calendar days before grazing or harvesting of the crop begins. For questions regarding crop certification and crop loss reports, please contact the Kiowa County FSA office at 620-723-2311.

FSA Signature Policy

Published by the Kiowa County Conservation District, 122 East Illinois, Greens-

burg, Kansas 67054 Ph: 620.723.2146

It is the policy of the Kiowa County Conservation District not to discriminate in

employment or program services for reasons of race, color, sex, age, religion,

marital status, national origin, or handicapping condition. The Kansas State

Conservation Commission and Kansas Conservation Districts are equal opportuni-

ty providers and employers.

Board of Supervisors:

J.L. Spurgeon, Chairman

Max D. Liggett, Vice-Chairman

Jeff Wirth, Treasurer

Pat Greenleaf, Secretary

David Allen, Member

Office Personnel:

Josh Adelhardt, District Conservationist

Mary Melton, Soil Conservation Technician

Donna Greenleaf, District Manager

Ken Brunson, Red Hills Project Coordinator, The Nature Conservancy

Our Thanks to Kiowa County Banks

for Sponsoring

Key Banker Awards and Annual Dinner

Each year, the following Kiowa County Banks sponsor the Key Banker Awards and co-sponsor our annual meeting. Next time you visit your bank, please thank them for supporting agriculture in Kiowa County.

Centera Bank Peoples Bank

Haviland State Bank Mullinville State Bank

Power of Attorney Using the correct signature when doing business with FSA can save time and prevent a delay in program benefits. The following are FSA signature guidelines: • Spouses may sign documents on behalf of each other for FSA and CCC programs in which either has an in-terest, unless written notification denying a spouse this authority has been provided to the county office • Spouses shall not sign on behalf of each other as an authorized signatory for partnerships, joint ventures, corporations, or other similar entities For additional clarification on proper signatures contact your local FSA office.

For those who find it difficult to visit the county office because of work schedules, distance, health, etc…, FSA has a power of attorney form available that allows producers to designate another person to conduct busi-ness at the office. If interested, contact our office or any Farm Service Agency office for more information.

Save Time Make an Appointment with FSA

To insure maximum use of your time and to insure that you are afforded our full attention to your im-portant business needs, please call our office @ 620-723-2311 ahead of your visit to set an appointment and to discuss any records or documentation that you may need to have with you when you arrive for your appointment. For local FSA Service Center con-tact information, please visit: http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app.

Update your Records

FSA is cleaning up our producer record database. If you have any unreported changes of addresses or zip code or an incorrect name or business name on file they need to be reported to our office. Changes in your farm operation, like the addition of a farm by lease or purchase, need to be reported to our office as well. Producers participating in FSA and NRCS programs are required to timely report changes in their farming operation to the County Committee in writing and to update their CCC-902 Farm Operating Plan. If you have any updates or corrections, please call your local FSA office to update your records.

Farming Operation Changes Producers who have bought or sold land, or added or dropped rented land from their operation must report those changes to the FSA office as soon as possible. A copy of the deed or recorded land contract for purchase property is needed to maintain accurate records with FSA. Failure to do so can lead to possible program inel-igibility and penalties. While making record updates, be sure to update signature authorizations. Making record changes now will save time in the spring.

School Conservation Tour Hosted by Rita & Dewayne Heinson

LOCALLY LED CONSERVATION

Kiowa County Conservation District

122 East Illinois

Greensburg, Kansas 67054

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

Greensburg, KS 67054

Permit No. 13

A BIG THANK YOU to Rita & Dewayne Heinson for hosting the School Conservation Tour!! Also to all the presenters who gave of their time to help give presentations to the students: Paul & Shirley Un-ruh; Don Schmidt; Barrett Smith & Pam Muntz, K-State Research & Extension; Josh Adelhardt, NRCS; Mary Melton, DOC; Ken Brunson, Red Hills Coordinator, the Nature Conservancy; Farm Bureau, Matt McCabe & Scott Sparks; Kan-sas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Recreation, Chris Shrack. Also, a BIG thanks to the schools and teachers for attending. We appreciate all of you and your efforts. Thanks for making learn-ing conservation fun for the students.